A country’s foundational data is the set of core datasets or registers needed to run public services. This typically includes:
- Individuals: name, address, nationality, date of birth and marital status
- Businesses: name, registration number, legal structure, ownership and control
- Geographical subdivisions for administration: name, code, type and area of jurisdiction
- Buildings and addresses: address, location and permitted use
- Property ownership: address, location, ownership and conditions
Many countries take a systematic approach to the digital management of these registers, supported by a clear legal framework, to streamline public services and improve how citizens interact with government.
Prominent examples include the Netherlands, Denmark and Estonia.
How the UK manages public data
The UK government has the same needs and many of those registers, for example:
- HM Land Registry operates the land registry
- Companies House manages the register of companies
- Ordnance Survey maintains a comprehensive list of addresses
- The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has built its Reference Data Management Framework to index and link data securely to help produce up-to-date statistics.
However, different organisations currently manage these with little coordination or standardised processes.
A notable missing piece is a single register of individuals
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), HMRC, the NHS, and others maintain databases of UK residents, each with its own identifiers. While these organisations exchange information for specific purposes, multiple and independent approaches create a risk of inconsistency and duplication. In contrast, the other countries mentioned above follow a ‘once only’ principle, where regulations prevent the same foundational data from being held in more than one place.
The TPXimpact approach to foundational data
There is much to be gained by using a more systematic approach to foundational data, but TPXimpact understands that updating the huge number of public services that depend on it could be a mammoth task. As a digital partner, we focus on the whole picture to deliver lasting results.
We want to help the government move towards a data model that works better for everyone. At our next Digital Forum, our panel will explore how better systematic management of foundational data could lead to improved public services.
Join TPXimpact at our office near Aldgate East tube station at 5 pm on Thursday, 5 February 2026, to help find the answers!
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